Happy Expats in Nairobi despite Safety Concerns
- No Issues with Settling In
- The Catch? Poor Personal Safety
- Good Finances despite a Difficult Economy
- Further Reading
Nairobi continues its steady performance in the Expat City Ranking. After placing 15th the previous two years, the Kenyan capital ranks 13th in 2024 out of 53 cities. Despite a second-to-last place in the Quality of Life Index (52nd), expats are happy in Nairobi. The city ranks 9th for this general satisfaction, with close to a third (32%) giving it the best possible rating (vs. 22% globally).
No Issues with Settling In
Nairobi makes it easy to get started, both in terms of the practical and the social. The city ranks 9th in the Ease of Settling In Index and 12th for Expat Essentials.
Respondents there feel welcome (9th) and find it easy to make local friends (2nd). In fact, over three in four expats (77%) attest to the local population’s friendliness towards foreign residents (vs. 61% globally). And 69% agree that they have a personal network in the city, compared to just 55% worldwide.
“Nairobi is a great city to live in. The climate, the greenery, how friendly people are, how many things there are to do … I really love it here.” – US American expat
It’s not just the social life (7th) that’s great here. Expats also appreciate Nairobi for some of the more practical aspects of life. Cashless payments are no issue (97% positive ratings vs. 83% globally) and getting a visa is comparatively easy (70% vs. 53%). Housing — a sore point in many cities — is both affordable (13th) and easy to find (5th) in Nairobi.
The Catch? Poor Personal Safety
Nairobi’s worst-performing index by far is Quality of Life in second-to-last place (52nd). Travel & Transit (53rd) as well as Safety & Security (51st) are major pain points, with close to a quarter (23%) giving their personal safety a negative rating (vs. 8% globally). Nairobi thus ranks last for this factor.
It’s not safe (nor easy) to get around on foot or by bicycle (53rd), either. Public transportation options are neither readily available (53rd) nor affordable (45th), while the infrastructure for cars is poor (49th).
In general, expats are unhappy with the urban environment in Nairobi (49th) — though the natural environment at least delights (10th). Leisure Options (14th) are good, too, and a whopping 91% rate the climate & weather favorably (vs. 58% globally).
“There’s green sights everywhere, including a forest in the middle of the city and a national park with wild animals on the outskirts.” – Ukrainian expat
Good Finances despite a Difficult Economy
Results in the Working Abroad Index, where Nairobi ranks 36th overall, show a mixed picture. Expats are satisfied with their jobs (3rd), working hours (16th), and personal career opportunities (12th). The latter factor comes as a surprise, seeing as 44% of expats there rate the economy negatively (vs. 19% globally). And only a third (33%) view the local job market positively (vs. 41%).
A possible reason for this discrepancy: 65% of respondents moved to Nairobi for work-related reasons (vs. 35% globally). Therefore, they already had a job lined up — either because they were recruited internationally (22% vs. 9%), were sent to Kenya by an employer (22% vs. 8%), or had secured work prior to relocating (16% vs. 15%).
“Job opportunities are limited for accompanying spouses.” – South African expat
At the end of the day, over four in five respondents (81%) agree that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to live a comfortable life (vs. 70% globally). Thus, Nairobi ranks 15th in the Personal Finance Index.
